Has anyone ordered from Klingbeil recently? I seem to have some problems at the moment. I ordered ice dance boots and received freeskating boots. I sent an email to let them know that they made shoes which are not according to my requirements and no one responded. I made several phone calls, left messages, No response; once when I was able to speak to someone, the person said hold-on and left me holding the connection for 15 minutes and then someone hung up without even talking to me... Not sure what to think. The boots cost around £800, so it is a lot of money. I decided to sent them back and it cost me another £100 for postage. Not very happy about it at the moment.
Mod note: thread split
Have heard complaints re: length of time receiving the boots (way over the promised time) and that they weren't properly "sized" or fitted - i.e. the boots were the wrong size despite being custom ordered.
They were recently on vacation break, so that might be why you didn't receive a response. Keep calling (which is annoying, since they now share space with another company). It takes several tries/explanations until you finally reach someone from Klingbeil.
Quote from: Skate@Delaware on August 11, 2012, 09:26:11 PM
They were recently on vacation break, so that might be why you didn't receive a response. Keep calling (which is annoying, since they now share space with another company). It takes several tries/explanations until you finally reach someone from Klingbeil.
Ok, thanks. That may be the reason why their customer service seems to be so bad. It didn't use to be. I will see what they manage to do with the boots - can to alter freeskating boots into dance boots, or make me another pair? Or will they try to get away with doing nothing?
Quote from: Hanca on August 12, 2012, 06:13:40 AM
Ok, thanks. That may be the reason why their customer service seems to be so bad. It didn't use to be. I will see what they manage to do with the boots - can to alter freeskating boots into dance boots, or make me another pair? Or will they try to get away with doing nothing?
Did you order from them directly (in-person or website or go through someone else (local fitter, etc.)? I'm wondering if it was just a miscommunication thing if you went through someone else. If you dealt with them directly, then keep trying to contact them. It sucks to order something and it not be right.
I had scheduled an appointment with them to pick up my skates, made all my travel arrangements etc...then they called "oh, they won't be here, they will be on vacation." I was upset-really? you didn't know this 2 weeks prior when I made my appointment? I decided to make the trip anyway and took my son. Turned it into a mini-vacation. But it still meant I had to return at a later date to pick them up. So that means another "mini-vaca" which stretches my budget.
This all so doesn't sound like the Klingbeil family; they were always amazing, efficient, and customer focussed. We booked our "trip" to get skates fitted months in advance; they were incredibly helpful, welcoming, and very responsive. I hope that they iron out any glitches they are having ... as I know they won't be happy themselves unless they can offer skaters efficient and respectful service.
I know they have always been very helpful. I have ordered two pairs of boots from them before and never had any reason to complain.
Skate@Delaware, I ordered straight from them. No middle person. I ordered through emails. It can't be miscommunication; the emails are pretty clear. I would be able to understand that they made a mistake and made wrong boots (though not sure how could that happen because several emails from me are specifying that I want dance boots), but I struggle to understand why it is so difficult to reach them. Not responding emails, not returning calls even if I leave a message... Maybe they are on holiday. But did the whole firm went on holiday? Surely there was someone left in charge to answer the calls? And what about being left on hold for 15 minutes and then someone just putting the phone down...
Hanca, that sounds really bad. I'm sorry you are experiencing these difficulties. I was just up on Tuesday and picked up my skates. I will say they do share space with another company but that doesn't excuse them for such poor customer service. I would keep trying to contact them in the meantime.
Just to update you, Janice responded to my email now. They were on holidays for a few weeks. They will redo the boots. So everything seems fine now. :)
I recently received a new pair and I had no problems, whatsoever.